Guangzhou Live – Kia KX3 concept

Nithyanandh K, As a toddler, those wheeled machinery fascinated me even before I knew what they’re called as! So here I'm, petrolhead by birth, Mechanical engineer by qualification and automotive reporter by profession!

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The Kia KX3 crossover design concept has world premiered at the Guangzhou Auto Show 2014. The concept previews a compact crossover which would derive its underpinnings from the Hyundai ix25. Kia says it’s exclusive for the Chinese market.

While the Kia concept has a striking design which is typical of the brand, the dimensions are in the ball park of the ix25 and moreover, the production model has already started testing. Production could start as early as early next year.

The front is characterized by a smaller, low-mounted ‘Tiger Shark’ grille enclosed in a silver insert which also houses what looks like cornering lights. The peeled back LED headlamps adopt a fresh design.

In profile, the crossover is characterized by a swopping roofline, unlike the ix25’s flat design. The neat rear fascia gets simplistic taillights, dual-exhausts and a silver diffuser. Kia has not revealed the interior of the concept. The concept is 4,260 mm long, 1,765 mm wide, 1,630 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,590 mm.

Power comes from 1.6-litre T-GDI turbo petrol engine which is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission which sends power to all wheels. The car is based on a high-tensile steel chassis which is engineered to achieve a 5-star C-NCAP crash rating.